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THE NIXIE BUNNY SERIES 


NIXIE BUNNY IN MANNERS-LAND 








NIXIE BUNNY 
IN MANNERS-LAND 



ILLUSTRATIONS BY 

HELEN GERALDINE HODGE 


MUSIC BY 

ALYS E. BENTLEY 

DIRECTOR OP MUSIC, WASHINGTOX, D. C. 


CHICAGO 

BECKLEY-CARDY CO.MPANY 


IN PEEPAEATION 


Nixie Bunny in Workaday-Land 
Nixie Bunny in Holiday-Land 
Nixie Bunny in Faraway-Lands 



Copyright, 1912, by 
JOSEPH C. SINDELAR 

All rights reserved 


The author gratefullj acknowledges his obligations 
to Helen Woodrow ^ones, writer and editor, for 
valuable editorial assistance and criticism; to E. 
N. Cassady, Superintendent of Schools, Brookfield, 
111., and the principals and teachers of the Dallas 
(Texas) schools, who were so kind as to give the 
book a thorough trial with the children before its 
publication. i 

f Cl A 3^0 706 
- ( 


J^>/1 > loOct, 





M. 


OONT^MTS^ 


CHAPTER PAGE 

Introduction 7 

I At Home in the Woods 11 

II Nixie First Lesson. 19 

III Nixie Loses His Way 25 

IV Nixie in Manners-Land 31 

V Nixie Looks About 37 

VI Nixie Has Luncheon at the Palace 43 

VII Kindheart, King of Manners-Land 49 

VIII The King Tells a Story 57 

IX Nixie Meets Some New Bunnies 65 

X The King Tells More Stories 73 

XI Many Pleasant Days 79 

XII Word from Home 37 

XIII Nixie Is Sad 95 

XIV The Owl Makes a Bargain 103 

XV On the Way to School Ill 

XVI Nixie IN THE Schoolroom 117 


XVII Lunch Time 123 

XVIII Nixie Gives a Lectuke 129 

XIX Nixie Finds Bunny Gikl 139 

A WoKD About the Book 144 




And where is Manners-Land, I pray? 
Over the sea and far away: 

Over the sea and yet at home, 

And everywhere that people roam. 

What do they do in Manners-Land? 

They listen to the merry band. 

And sing, and laugh, and work, and play. 
Throughout the happy, livelong day. 

How do they act in Manners-Land? 

In a way that children understand; 

For sweet, and good, and kind are they, 
And naughty things they never say. 

Then let us visit Manners-Land 
And lend a loving thought and hand. 

And, oh, how happy all will be 
To see the change in you and me! 






Dark gray is his color, 
Brown are his eyes. 
His ears appear reaching 
Up toward the skies. 



Little bunny, you’re so funny, 
With your hip, hip, hippity-hop! 
Kitty walks, but, not so bunny — 
He goes hip, hip, hippity-hop! 


NIXIE BUNNY IN MANNERS -LAND 
I 

AT HOME IN THE WOODS 

Nixie Bunny was the name of a young 
rabbit. Wherever he got the name I do 
not know. 

Mischievous little fairies are sometimes 
called nixies. And as this bunny was mis- 
chievous as well as naughty, I suppose that 
is how the name came to be given him. 

He lived with his mother and his two 
brothers and two sisters in a hole in the 
side of a hill. 

Sometimes he might be seen sunning him- 
self, with his mother and the four other 
baby rabbits, in front of their home. 

But most days he spent inside the hole 
in the hill, stretched out, fast asleep! For 
rabbits, you know, eat and play by night 
and sleep by day. They do many other 
things just as odd and queer. 

11 


Nixie always wore a gray coat and a vest 
of lighter color. 

His eyes were a soft brown, his ears were 
long and thin, and he had a white spot on 
his face. 

He was a pretty little fellow. I wonder 
if you can find him in the picture. 

This rabbit family 
was one of the most 
interesting I have 
ever known. They 
went by the name of 
Cottontail, because 
each of them wore a 
snow - white, stubby, 
cotton-like tail. 

You should have 
seen those five babies! 

Sometimes one of them would sit, with his 
ears pricked up, as straight as any circus 
bear or trained dog. These little bunnies 
were very wide awake, and when they sat 
so they looked as though they might be 
listening to something. Indeed, they were 
12 





pretty sure to hear any sound there was to 
be heard in the woods around their home. 

Sometimes the bun- 
nies would nibble the 
grass. They liked clover 
and cabbage better, hut 
if they didn’t have 
either of these, 
were satisfied to ea 
what they did have. 

Often, too, you might 
see one of the babies 
brushing his fuzzy little face and his long, 
thin ears with his fore feet, or hands. 

For rabbits are 
very clean, I would 
have you know — 
that is, most rabbits 
are. I shall tell you 
presently of one 
little bunny that 
wasn’t. Maybe you 
can guess his name 
even now! 


13 


And when he gets through washing and 
brushing his face and ears, what do you 
suppose the bunny does? Why, he sponges 
his furry coat with his tongue! Now, isn’t 
that an odd thing to do? 

Sometimes he has to bite burrs out of 
his vest, or out of the pads on his hind 
legs. 

But the most curious thing of all is to 
see his furry nose keep moving up and down 
all the while he is dressing himself. 

It seems that a rabbit’s nose-tip is almost 
always moving, though he may be ever 
so still otherwise. 

At times you might 
see one of the babies 
sitting close beside his 
mother, with his front 
feet, or hands, hanging 
in the air. And per- 
haps he would touch 
his lips to hers, very 
much as little children 
kiss their mothers. 

14 



Often a baby would 
rest on all his four legs, 
with his ears partly 
raised, one a little high- 
er than the other. He 
would hardly move a 
hair, he would sit so 
still. 

And sometimes the 
little rabbit would have 
a sad, faraway expression in his eyes. 

Perhaps he was wondering why it was 
that he should have so many enemies, when 
he himself would harm no one. 

Perhaps he was dreaming of carrots, and 
peas, and clover-fields, and other delightful 
things, and wondering why, when he liked 
all these so much, he should have so little 
of them. 

And the mother would sit quietly by, 
watching her babies, lest something happen 
to them. 

How proud she was of every furry little 
one of them! 



15 


Father Cotton- 
tail was dead. 
The farmer’s dog 
had caught him 
one day when he 
was out in the 
garden looking 
for food. And I 
am told they had 
rabbit-stew at 
the farmer’s house the next day. 

It couldn’t have been very good, however, 
as Father Cottontail was a very old rabbit. 
And that was the only reason the farmer’s 
dog had been able to catch him. Had Father 
Cottontail been younger, he would have been 
able to outrun the dog, as he had done many 
times before. 

So all the care of bringing up the baby 
bunnies had been left to Mrs. Cottontail. 

She was a good little mother to them. 
She had made a home for them, where they 
were safe from enemies and bad weather. 
Truly, it was only a hole in the hillside, 
16 



but it seemed to them a very pleasant home, 
and they loved it. 

Mother Cottontail had made a comfort- 
able bed for the little ones, with leaves she 
had gathered and hair she had pulled from 
her own body. 

To her, I sup- 
pose, these five 
babies seemed 
much alike. But 
they really were 
not so. 

Nixie, the first 
bunny of whom I 
told you, was quite 
different from the 
rest. He was, for one thing, by far the 
naughtiest! He was saucy and he was selfish. 
And he often disobeyed his mother. Wasn’t 
that unkind of him, when his mother did 
so much for him? 

And it was his naughtiness that brought 
about all of Nixie’s' troubles, as I shall tell 
you. 



17 


In the moonlight, on a bright night, 
Wee folk, wild folk, gather. 
Frisky and gay, Cottontails they. 
To the garden scamper. 


II 


NIXIE’S FIRST LESSON 

The baby rabbits were now nearly four 
weeks old. They were all the same age, to a 
day! 

Mrs. Cottontail thought it was about time 
they should learn to get their own living. 

One day she decided to take them out that 
very evening to give them a lesson. 

Rabbits do not go far from home in the 
daytime. They are afraid of men and dogs. 
But when night comes they run about every- 
where. 

They run to the farmer’s garden. They 
eat what they wish of the good things they 
find there, and then they run home again. 

Sometimes they play tag on the way. 
Sometimes they play hop-skip-and-jump. 
And I have heard it said that sometimes — 
sometimes, though not often — they fight, 
just like naughty boys I have known! 

19 


But, whatever else they do, they always 
keep their eyes wide open for enemies. 

At the slightest noise, how their eyes 
bulge! 

And these eyes have saved the life of many 
a little rabbit. For they can see backward 
and forward and on all sides, just as a bird’s 
eyes can see. 

Mother Cottontail chose this night for her 
children’s first lesson in getting food because 
the moon was shining bright. In the moon- 
light she could better keep her eyes on the 
little bunnies. 

“Now, my dears,” said Mrs. Cottontail, 
“all keep together and follow me. And 
watch for the danger signal!” 

The danger signal, I must tell you, was the 
white cotton-like tail which kept bobbing 
this way or that as the mother rabbit hurried 
through the woods. It looked like a candle- 
light shining in a dark room. The little bun- 
nies could hardly lose sight of that! 

All was well so long as the fluffy, snow- 
white ball was up. But the minute it should 
20 



go down, the babies might know that danger 
was near. 

The signal meant, “Look out! Look out!” 
“The owl!” “The cat!” “The hawk!” “The 
fox!” “The wolf!” or any one of many other 
enemies. 

The five little bunnies were quick to learn 
their lesson. 

The minute the mother’s cotton tail would 
go down, down, too, the little bunnies would 
go. Then they would pretend to be dead. 
They would lie perfectly still, making no 
sound, not even moving a hair. 

When the danger was over, up would jump 
Mother Cottontail. And, without a word, 
swish! after her would follow the five furry 
babies. 


21 


It was a curious sight! Indeed, the little 
ones looked real funny, with their small oval 
heads bobbing up and down every time they 
hopped or jumped. 

They ran their hardest to keep up with 
their mother, and soon were in the farmer’s 
garden, eating all the good things they 
wished. 

■ They ate green peas, cabbage leaves, green 
onions, lettuce, and many other kinds of 
green stuff. 

Once they heard a strange noise. Up sat 
Mrs. Cottontail on her white cushion. This 
was another signal of danger. The little bun- 
nies understood its meaning. And up like 
a shot went her ears. 

In a minute she knew what the noise was. 

Meanwhile, the little rabbits were all 
scared almost to death. That is, all hut one. 
Nixie wasn’t! He kept on eating and chat- 
tering and didn’t seem to mind the strange 
noise at all. 

Mrs. Cottontail was much displeased with 
Nixie. She was afraid the farmer might hear 
22 


him. And if he should, there was likely to 
be trouble for them all! 

So Mother Cottontail beckoned the bun- 
nies to come to her under a bush. She had 
something to say to her little ones, and did 
not wish to talk to them out in the open, as 
the farmer might see them in the bright 
moonlight. 

“Sh-h-h! sh-h-h! You must be more quiet, 
my dears!” Mother Cottontail said. 

“What for?” asked naughty Nixie. 

“I think the farmer has had company 
to-night,” his mother answered. “That is 
why he is about so late. We must be very 
careful or he may hear us.” 

“What do we care!” said Nixie, with a 
saucy swing of his head. 

Now wasn’t he a rude, naughty bunny, to 
talk so to his mother? 

“That will do!” replied Mrs. Cottontail. 

She really was angry with Nixie, and I 
am sure she had reason to be. 

But oh, if this had only been all that that 
naughty bunny did! 


23 



MUSIC av ALYS e. BENTLCY 


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Sing high, sing low, heigh - ho! Hip- 


w- / — j j — 


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hop and p i p P y 

-O — : — 1^ m 

— — -g ^ **1 

pop; Gay 

^ T- 

b K r ^ J- 




is • the world, I 

know— Hip- 







|Ax ^ l> ^ 1 ^ 


rr- ■ 


ai 

-t 


hop, and nev - er 


stop. 



Ill 

NIXIE LOSES HIS WAY 

By this time Nixie had had so many good 
things to eat that he felt very cheerful 
indeed. He laughed and he chattered and 
was as silly as possible. 

Presently he began jigging and hopping 
and dancing round and round. He took a 
cabbage leaf and twirled it around his head. 

Then he began to sing and shout at the 
top of his voice: 

“Sing high, sing low, heigh-ho! 

Hip-hop and pippy-pop; 

Gay is the world, I know — 

Hip-hop, and never stop.” 

“I wonder where the child learned that!” 
said Mrs. Cottontail to herself. She was so 
surprised that she did not even try to quiet 
her naughty son. 

But suddenly she heard steps. The farmer 
was coming toward the garden. 

25 


It did not take Mrs. Cottontail long to 
make up her mind that it was time to leave. 

She signaled to her little bunnies, by going 
thump! thump! thump! on the ground with 
her hind paw. 

“Run! run for your lives!” she cried. 
“Run, or the farmer will catch you!” 

And they ran as fast as their fluffy legs 
could carry them. 

“As for you. Nixie,” Mother Cottontail 
called back to him, “I’ll pull your ears when 
we get home!” 

Mrs. Cottontail was in the lead. The little 
rabbits were close at her heels. They kept 
their eyes fixed on the snow-white, stubby 
tail of their mother, which was both a guide 
and a danger signal. 

Now Nixie didn’t like to have his ears 
pulled. So when he heard his mother’s 
threat, he fell behind the other bunnies. 

While the others were going faster and 
faster, he kept going more and more slowly. 

At first he was but a few leaps behind; 
then he was a few more. At last, he was so 
26 


far behind that he could hardly see the 
danger signal. 

He thought that if he went slowly enough 
he would reach home much later than the 
rest of them. They would be fast asleep 
when he got there. 

Then he would sneak in without having his 
ears pulled! And he believed that by morn- 
ing his mother would have forgotten all 
about his naughtiness. 

But somehow Nixie lost his way, and 
entered the wrong rabbit-hole, though he 



27 


was too tired and sleepy to know it until 
he woke up the next morning. 

Yet it would seem that he ought to have 
known it. Almost anybody with half an eye 
could have seen the difference, provided he 
kept that open. 

The Cottontails’ home was in the side of a 
hill. 

This other hole started beneath the roots 
of a very big tree. 

The entrance to their home was ever so 
crooked, zigzagging this way and that, and 
almost every other way. 

This hole went on straight like a tunnel 
for a long way, and then it dipped suddenly 
down. Then it went on almost straight 
again, only in a different direction. 

Nixie never stopped to notice any of these 
things, which goes to show that he was not 
a very wise rabbit. Perhaps he wasn’t old 
enough to be very wise! 

And as he had never before been away 
from home, I suppose he thought his own 
rabbit-hole and their rabbit village to be 
28 


the only ones in the whole woods around! 

You may be sure it didn’t take Nixie long 
to find a place to lie down. 

He was so tired that he flopped down upon 
the warm, soft sand of the rabbit-hole, and 
was soon fast asleep. 

His eyes were closed, his body was 
stretched out full length, his head rested on 
his fore paws, and his ears were turned back 
close to his body. 

If you had seen him lying there so, you 
would have thought he was dead. But he 
wasn’t dead, you may be sure of that! And 
I shouldn’t wonder if Nixie had happy 
dreams that night. 



29 



The world is sad; 


And why? and why? 

When I am good-^ 

Oh me! oh my! 

Glad is the wood, 

And glad am I! 


TV 

NIXIE IN MANNEKS-LAND 

It was late when Nixie awoke the next 
morning. And this isn’t to be wondered at. 
It had been late the night before when he 
got to bed. 

And, besides, at home he was always 
called. (Yes, and often he had to be called 
several times, and even scolded, before he 
would get up!) 

When Nixie opened his eyes he found him- 
self in a long, low hall, lighted by a row of 
lamps which hung down from the ceiling. 

He had never before seen anything like 
them. There were no lamps in his home. 

The Cottontails were not a rich family, and 
they couldn’t afford lamps. 

Mrs. Cottontail found it hard enough/do 
get a plain living for her five children. She 
had no money to spend on things they could 
do without. ,, 


31 



they ever had. 

Nixie could hardly believe his eyes when 
he looked about him. 

Was he dreaming'? 

He pulled his ear. He pinched his cheek. 

Then he thumped his head against the 
wall, to make sure he was awake. 

The long hall was still there. And the 
lamps still shone. 

Then he began talking to himself. 

“Wake up, Nixie Bunny, wake up!” he 
said. “You’re only dreaming!” 

But the lights still shone. 

The hall was still there. 


32 


And the wall was a sure-enough wall, for 
he could still feel the thumps he had given 
his head. 

“Well, that’s surely funny!” he said. 

He got up and began walking around. No 
one was in sight. He listened, but could hear 
nothing. So he began to talk to himself 
again. 

“Why, it was only last night that I was 
in the farmer’s garden,” he said. 

“But was it last night?” Nixie was so 
puzzled. 

“Maybe it was the night before,” he went 
on, “or the night before 
that night, or the night 
before the night before 
that night. Or, maybe it 
was — ” 

Here he stopped. His 
voice was getting so 
squeaky that he could 
hardly talk. 

His eyes were getting 
so dim that he could hardly see. 

33 



His legs were getting so weak that he 
could hardly stand. 

So he sat down. 

He sat a long, long time, thinking. Then 
he began to cry, “Boo-hoo! hoo-hoo-hoo!” 

When he cried at home, his mother would 
pet him, and she would dry his tears with 
her apron. 

She would hug him, and kiss him, too. 
Then he would cry longer. But as there 
was no one here to do that for him, he soon 
stopped crying. 

Then he began talking to himself for the 
third time. (No one else was about, you 
know.) 

“Maybe I’m not Nixie Bunny at all!” he 
said. “Nixie had a mother and four brothers 
and sisters. He was in the farmer’s garden 
with them only last night. 

After he had eaten all he wished there, he 
shouted, and jigged, and hopped, and 
danced. 

Then they all ran because the farmer was 
coming. And Nixie fell behind the others 


34 


because his mother had said she would 
punish him for being so naughty.” 

So Mxie talked on and on and grew more 
and more puzzled. 

He remembered very well getting home 
and sneaking into the rabbit-hole, and going 
to sleep. 

“If I am Nixie,” he said to himself, “where 
are the others'? 

Nixie lived in a small house, lighted by a 
single candle,” he went on slowly. He was 
thinking hard. 

“This house has many, many lights, and 
they aren’t candle-lights, either. So I guess 
I can’t be Nixie. 

I wonder who I am, anyway,” he said, 
“and why I am here! I wonder! I wonder! 
I wonder! 

Oh! oh! oh! What ever will become of me 
now! Oh! if I had only minded my mother!” 
Nixie wailed. 

And the echo came back, “Oh, oh, oh!” 


35 



He’s my shadow bunny, 
Playful as can be. 

Made him on my fingers, 
This way, — don’t you see*? 


Shadows in the kitchen. 
Shadows in the hall: 

What can be the meaning 
Of these shadows all? 

Some of them are little. 
Some of them are stout. 

All of them are funny. 
Playing round about. 

But the queerest shadow. 
Of the shadows all. 

Is that of my bunny. 
Hopping on the wall. 


V 


NIXIE LOOKS ABOUT 

Nixie was growing tired of sitting all by 
himself. Sitting all by oneself isn’t the 
pleasantest thing to do. 

He was beginning to feel lonely, too. 

And then he began to see strange things. 

He saw the queerest things on the wall! 
Some were little, some were big, and all were 
moving about. 

He saw black rabbits there, and other 
black things that looked like other animals. 

At first he was afraid, but soon he got up 
courage and spoke to them. 

They did not answer. 

He crept close to the wall and tried to 
touch one of the black things. But when he 
got there it was gone. 

He tried another, and the same thing 
happened. 

“My, but they are quick fellows!” he said. 

37 


For as soon as he would move away, there 
the black things were again. He didn’t 
know what to make of it. 

Poor little Nixie! To think he didn’t know 
that those black things on the wall were only 
shadows! 

He was almost ready to cry again. 

From where Nixie was, all he could see 
was the long, low hall, lighted by the row of 
lamps hanging down from the ceiling. 

He wondered what was beyond. So he 
crept along this low hall until he came to a 
place that was higher. 

On and on he went, till at last he came to 
a high gate, with higher walls on each side 
of it. He gave the gate a push. But it would 
not open. 

There were other gates in the wall. Nixie 
tried every one of them, but they were all 
locked. 

As he was about to give up, he spied a 
second passageway. This wound in and out. 

Nixie followed it, and a strange thing hap- 
pened. He came upon a gate, about three 
38 


feet high, that he hadn’t noticed before. He 
gave it a push, but this gate, too, was locked. 

Had Nixie looked more closely, he would 
have found a tablet on the gate bearing the 
words, “Manners-Land.” But Nixie hadn’t 
yet learned to keep his eyes wide open. 

He was about to turn away when he 
noticed that at the top of the gate was an 
opening. He stretched his neck and looked 
through the opening and into the most 
beautiful garden he had ever seen. 

How he longed to get out of the narrow 
passageway and into that beautiful garden! 

“If only this hole were large enough,” 
thought Nixie, “I might be able to get my 
head through! But suppose I did get my 
head through,” he added, “what good would 
that be without my legs and the rest of me?” 

Presently Nixie sneezed, “Ker-choo! Ker- 
ker-choo! Ker-choo!” 

In less time than it takes to tell it, the 
gate swung open. And there stood two 
handsome rabbit soldiers in blue uniforms. 
Each had a gun over his shoulder. 

39 


Nixie was frightened almost to death. And 
I think you would have been, too. 

“Who goes there?” one of the rabbit 
soldiers asked Nixie. 

But Nixie was too frightened to answer 
at once. 

“I— I— I th— think I’m 1—1— lost,” he 
finally managed to stammer. 

“What is your name?” the second rabbit 
soldier inquired. 

And before Nixie had time to answer, 
the first rabbit soldier asked, “And what 
may your business be?” 

Business? Nixie had no “business” that 
he knew of. I don’t believe he even knew 
what the word meant. 


'ft M 

9 








40 


But lie was terribly frightened by this 
time and he began to cry. 

Now, King Kindheart, the good and great 
King of Manners-Land, just then happened 
to be strolling through the gardens. 

Nixie cried so loud that the king heard 
him. He inquired of the soldiers what the 
trouble was. 

They explained to him that a strange 
bunny — meaning Nixie— was trying to 
enter the grounds. Perhaps he meant to do 
harm to the king, they said. 

The king looked first at the soldiers, and 
then at Nixie. The poor little bunny had 
stopped crying, but he showed plainly how 
frightened he was. 

And then King Kindheart laughed long 
and loud. 

“This little bunny would harm me, you 
think! Ha, ha! One of you had better 
take him to the palace. He looks tired and 
hungry, poor little fellow! Have them give 
him something to eat. I will see him later.” 


41 



Once there was a bunny — 
Oh, what a disgrace! — 

No one had ever seen him 
With clean hands and face. 


VI 


NIXIE HAS LUNCHEON AT THE PALACE 

The palace stood on top of a hill. It was 
a large and beautiful building. To it one of 
the soldier bunnies and Nixie made their 
way. 

At the door of the palace they were met 
by a servant. The soldier gave him the 
king’s orders, and Nixie was taken into the 
palace. 

The servants all gathered about him. They 
did not seem to know what to make of the 
poor, tired, dirty little rabbit. He was so 
different from the bunnies of Manners-Land! 

An old, motherly-looking servant came up 
just then, however. She knew what to do! 
She took Nixie by the hand and led him out 
of the room. 

What took place then I cannot say. But 
I do know that when these two returned. 
Nixie looked quite like another rabbit. 

43 


His face was clean. His fur was smoothly 
brushed. He looked as neat and fresh as you 
could wish a little rabbit to look. Almost 
any one would have been proud of his looks 
now! 

“What a pretty little fellow he is, now that 
you can really see him!” one of the lady 
bunnies said. 

“Yes, but how hungry he must be, the 
poor dear,” the motherly-looking servant 
answered. “I think I had better take him to 
the dining-room, else there won’t be enough 
left for such a hungry rabbit as he must be 
by this time.” 

And so she marched him through the 
palace until they reached the dining-room. 

The first thing Nixie noticed was a large 
round table in the middle of the room. On 
it were dishes filled with fresh green stuff. 

A very pompous rabbit, dressed all in 
white and black, showed Nixie to a seat at 
the table. 

There were many other rabbits seated 
around the table. 


44 


There were a number of young bunnies 
there. There were some old rabbits, too. 
Nixie looked from one to the other and then 
he sat down. 

And how he did behave! He at once be- 
gan asking for this and for that, and not in 
the most polite way, either! 

And the things that he couldn’t reach, he 
would crawl after! 

The lettuce tasted so good that he ate that 
and almost nothing else. 

He spilled his water on the tablecloth. 

The milk he drank from the milk pitcher. 

But the most shocking thing he did was to 
eat with his knife. 

He was punished for that, though, for he 
cut his mouth. And, oh my! how Nixie did 
cry! You would have thought some one was 
killing him. 

Everybody stopped eating and some of the 
lady rabbits ran to him. 

“Wliat in the world is the matter with the 
child f’ the bunnies asked of one another. 

“Cut myself! I cut myself!” cried Nixie, 
45 


between bis sobs. The tears rolled down bis 
cheeks. 

Then the lady, bunnies petted him and 
said, “The poor little dear.” That comforted 
Nixie some. 

An elderly rabbit now spoke up and told 
Nixie that he ought never to put his knife 
into his mouth. Then he wouldn’t cut him- 
self. 

Nixie cried out that he would never use a 
knife again. 

He picked up the knife that he had cut 
himself with and threw it upon the floor. 

“Bad old knife!” he said. “Why did you 
cut me?” 

This was very silly of him, as of course the 
knife wasn’t to blame at all. And besides, 
he deserved to be cut. 

The fork and the spoon he threw after the 
knife. I suppose because they were with it, 
he felt that they, too, must be bad. 

Then he began grabbing things with his 
hands. And he seemed to like that, all 
right! 


46 



Soon he filled himself up so full that it is a 
wonder he didn’t burst. 

Oh, if Mrs. Cottontail could have seen 
her naughty child now! How ashamed she 
would have been of him! 

Why, one bunny like that is enough to 
disgrace a whole family. 

And it was through no fault of Mrs. Cot- 
tontail’s, either. For Nixie had had the same 
bringing-up as his brothers and sisters. And 
think what good and well-behaved bunnies 
they were! 


47 




If I were king! 

If I were king, 

You my queen I’d make, 

Of palace, hill and lake. 

For you my life I’d live. 

To you my all I’d give. 

And pretty gowns you’d wear. 
With roses in your hair. 

If I were king. 

If I were king. 


VII 


KINDHEART, KING OF MANNERS-LAND 

When Nixie had finished his luncheon, he 
was taken upstairs to the playroom. 

He was given many fine toys to play with. 
But as he had no other little bunnies to play 
with him, he soon tired of these. 

So it made Nixie glad when he heard some 
one coming to the door. 

It was another servant who came. He 
wore a handsome red uniform. 

“His majesty, the king, wishes to see you, 
sir,” this servant in the red uniform said 
to Nixie. And, bowing low, he took Nixie 
by the hand and led him away. 

Through the palace they marched. 

At last they stopped at a large door. When 
they entered. Nixie found himself in a most 
beautiful room. It was all decorated in gold. 

At one side of the room was a throne. On 
this throne sat a large gray-haired rabbit. 

49 


Many young bunnies have gray hairs, but 
this rabbit was old. 

He wore a gold crown on his head, and a 
scarlet mantle hung from his shoulders. His 
face was a kindly and pleasant one, but it 
was rough and wrinkled. 

This rabbit was the good and great Kind- 
heart, King of Manners-Land. 

It was he who had talked to Nixie at the 
gate in the morning, but Nixie did not know 
him now. The gold crown and the scarlet 
mantle made him look different. 

On the lowest step of the throne sat two 
little bunnies, one on each side. They were 
the king’s pages. 

A number of other rabbits were in the 
room, also. Some of these were the king’s 
friends. The others were his servants. 

When the rabbit in the red uniform 
approached the king’s throne, he made a low 
bow. But Nixie only stared. He was too 
much frightened to do or say anything. 

The king nodded his head and the servant 
said: 


.50 


“Your majesty, this is the rabbit who says 
he is lost.” 

“Come closer,” said the king to Nixie. 

He spoke so kindly that Nixie was no 
longer afraid. He marched up the steps of 
the throne. The king laid his hand on the 
little bunny’s head and asked: 

“What is your name, my child?” 

“Nixie,” answered our bunny; “that is, 
leastways, I think that’s my name. 

You see,” Nixie went on, “I was out last 
night with my mother and my brothers and 
sisters — that is, leastways, I think I was. 
We went to the farmer’s garden after some- 
thing to eat. 

It was late, but the farmer was still up. 
My mother said it was because he had com- 
pany at his house. We were his company 
out in the garden; only we weren’t invited. 

Well, when we had eaten all we wished I 
began to shout — that is, leastways, I think 
I did — but my sisters and brothers kept very 
quiet, as my mother had said we all should. 

The farmer came and we ran for our lives. 


51 



Because I had been naughty my mother 
promised that she would pull my ears when 
we got home. 

I didn’t wish to have my ears pulled. So 
when we started for home I fell behind the 
others. While the others kept going faster 
and faster, I was going slower and slower. 
I thought that by the time I got home all 
52 


the others would be fast asleep. Then I 
shouldn’t have my ears pulled. 

When I got up this morning, I was some- 
where else. Where it was, I don’t know. 
But it wasn’t home. I looked around, until 
I found my way in here. And here I am — 
unless, of course, I am somebody else.” 

The king and his people couldn’t help 
smiling. Mxie looked so comical, in spite 
of his pitiful story. 

“What is your other name. Nixie?” in- 
quired the king. 

“I haven’t any,” answered Nixie. And 
they all smiled again. 

“That is, leastways, I don’t think I have,” 
he said seriously. “Nixie is what they called 
me at home — unless, of course, I am some- 
body else.” 

“Well, what is your mother’s name?” asked 
the king again. 

“Mrs. Cottontail,” answered Nixie. And 
again every one else smiled. To think that 
this bunny didn’t know that his last name 
was the same as his mother’s! 

53 


King Kindlieart saw it was of no use to 
ask Nixie any more questions about himself. 

So he nodded to a servant, who took Nixie 
to a seat. 

Then the king stepped down from his 
throne and passed into another room. 

He had not bee.n in there very long when 
the door swung open again. 

A servant came to tell Nixie that the king 
wished to see him in the next room. 

In this room Nixie found King Kindheart 
sitting at a large desk, writing. He looked 
up and nodded pleasantly to the little bunny 
and motioned him to a seat. 

Nixie was wondering what was going to 
happen next, and as the king seemed too busy 
to notice him, he began to look around. 

He liked this room even better than the 
others. 

Beautiful rugs lay on the polished floors. 
The curtains and draperies were of the rich- 
est stuff. There were pictures on the walls, 
and statues stood here and there. 

The furniture was richly carved, and 

54 


Just then Nixie saw the king take some- 
thing out of his waistcoat pocket and look 
at it. (Guess what it was! Nixie didn’t 
know, for he had never seen one. But you 
ought to know. It went “tick-tick, tick- 
tick.”) 

After looking at this the king put it back 
in his pocket. He then shook his head as 
though surprised, laid down his quill pen, 
and called Nixie to his side. 



55 



1. I know a king a - cross the sea— 

2. A sto - ry once he told to me— 

3. ’Twas of a bun - ny he told me— 


itZ'T • 1 

) — r — ^ 



- — 1 




Did - die dee dee, did - die dee dee; Oh, 

Did - die dee dee, did - die dee dee; This 

Did - die dee dee, did - die dee dee; Who 


ho! a good - ly 

rab - bit king a 

was as naugh - ty 

T I ' I 

Hey did - die did - die. 

Hey did - die did - die. 

Hey did - die did - die. 


TT-n 


king is he— 
- cross the sea— 
as could be— 



dee dee. 
dee dee. 
dee dee. 


VIII 


THE KING TELLS A STOEY 

“Now, Nixie,” began the king, “I wish to 
tell you something about my kingdom. It 
is not like other rabbit kingdoms. 

Here the bunnies act differently. They 
dress differently. They talk differently. 
And they eat different food in a different 
way than do bunnies anywhere else in the 
world. 

After you have been here a little, I think 
you will notice some of these things yourself. 

I suppose some very wise people might call 
my kingdom a fairy kingdom. But even very 
wise people are mistaken sometimes. 

This kingdom is known as Manners-Land. 
I am its ruler, and my name is King Kind- 
heart. 

All my people are good and kind and man- 
nerly. That is how the place came to be 
given its name. 


57 


And now that I have told you something 
about my land and our people, wouldn’t you 
like to hear a story*? 

Come, sit on my lap.” 

But Nixie would not. He said, “I want 
my ma!” 

You see, he was feeling rather lonesome. 
And when you feel lonesome, or tired, or 
sick, home is the best place, after all. And 
mother is the first one you think of. 

“We shall find your mother for you,” an- 
swered the king, “but you must be patient. 
I have already sent out messengers in search 
of her.” 

Nixie looked up into the face of good King 
Kindheart, and felt sure that no harm would 
come to him. 

Then King Kindheart took Nixie up in his 
lap and told him the following story — 
which, by the way, he said was true. 

Once there was a mother rabbit, who had 
a little bunny whom she loved very much. 
She cared for him as best she could. She fed 


58 


liim. She clothed him. She made a safe and 
comfortable home for him. 

She told him about his enemies and how 
to keep away from them. In fact, she did 
everything for this bunny that it was possi- 
ble for her to do. 

But for all this the little bunny was 
naughty. He was saucy and he was diso- 
bedient. It made his mother very, very 
unhappy. 

Well, one night the mother rabbit took this 
naughty bunny and his four good brothers 
and sisters out to a farmer’s garden, to teach 
them how to get their own living. 

The mother warned the little bunnies to 
be quiet, for fear the farmer might hear 
them. If he should, he might kill or catch 
them. Then he would make them into a 
rabbit-stew. 

The four good brothers and sisters minded 
their mother. But when the naughty bunny 
had filled his little stomach full of nice, fresh 
green things, he grew very wild! He began 
to dance around and sing and shout. 

59 


Oh, how he did shout! Perhaps the exer- 
cise was good for his lungs. But this was 
no time and no place for exercising his lungs, 
however they may have needed it. 

Besides, his mother told him to be quiet 
and he should have obeyed her. 

The farmer heard the noise and started for 
the garden. The mother rabbit heard him 
coming. So she signaled to her little bun- 
nies, and they ran for their lives. 

The mother ran ahead. The four good 
bunnies kept close to her. But the naughty 
bunny stayed a safe distance behind. Wliile 
they were running faster and faster, he 
followed more and more slowly. 

You see his mother was angry. She had 
told this naughty little rabbit that she would 
pull his ears when they got home. 

He believed that if he lingered behind, his 
mother would be fast asleep by the time he 
got home. And then he could sneak in with- 
out having his ears pulled! And before 
morning, no doubt, his mother would have 
forgotten all about punishing him. 

60 


This naughty bunny was young and did 
not know the woods very well. He did not 
know that there were many rabbit-holes 
besides those that led into the village his 
family lived in. So he happened to get into 
the wrong hole, though he did not find it out 
until the next morning. 

When he awoke in the morning and found 
himself in a strange place, he began to cry. 
Then he wished his mother were there. And 
he thought how good he would be, if only he 
were at home again! 

Here the king paused, but Nixie pleaded 
with him to go on. 

“Did they find his mother?” he inquired 
anxiously. 

“I am told they did,” answered the king, 
“and so I suppose it must be true. And I 
understand that the naughty little bunny 
promised to be oh, so good! ever after.” 

Then, looking at Nixie, he added, “And 
I hope he was.” 

Here the king paused again. 

61 


“Is that all?” asked Nixie. 

“Yes, that is the end of the story,” the 
king replied. 

“Tell another! Tell another!” pleaded 
Nixie. 

“No,” said the king as he pulled out his 
watch again and looked at it. “It is growing 
late and you must now have your supper. 
To-morrow I will tell you more.” 

Then the king touched a button, and 
presently a servant answered. 

“Take this little bunny to the dining- 
room,” were his orders. 

“After he has had his supper, you may 
take him out for a walk through the gardens. 
I am sure he would enjoy that. After the 
walk, take him to his room.” 

Then the king patted Nixie on the head, 
and said, “Now, good-night, my child.” 

That night the servant led Nixie to a 
pleasant, cheerful-looking room, in which 
was one small bed — oh, such a pretty bed! 

And pictures hung on the walls. 

And rugs were on the floor. 

62 


And there were curtains at the windows — 
and in fact, there was no end to the wonders. 

But, strange to say. Nixie saw none of 
these. His little brain was busy wondering 
over the story he had heard. 

“Was it about some other bunny that King 
Kindheart was telling, or was it about mef’ 
he kept thinking to himself. 

He couldn’t quite make up his mind. 

But you may be very sure Nixie did not 
forget to say his prayers that night! 



63 



As I was walking up the street, 

’Twas my good fortune there to meet ' 
A cunning little dame, 

With a peculiar name. 

Of course I knew her very well. 

Her name, though, I care not to tell. 
Said I, “How-do-you-do! 
How-do-you-do-and-do !” 

I bowed and shook her hand — and then 
I bowed, and bowed, and bowed again. 


IX 


NIXIE MEETS SOME NEW BUNNIES 

Nixie slept late the next morning. So 
many strange things had happened to him 
the day before that he had been tired out by 
bedtime. Besides, his bed was so soft and 
comfortable! And there is nothing like a 
soft, comfortable bed when one is tired. 

I don’t believe Nixie would have gotten 
up when he did if he hadn’t felt hungry. 

He quickly dressed himself, and out of the 
door he rushed. 

But, thump! he hadn’t taken a half-dozen 
steps when he humped into another rabbit, 
nearly knocking him over. 

It was a large rabbit that Nixie had 
bumped into. You may be sure our little 
bunny was frightened. He was about to run 
away, for he felt certain that he should be 
scolded for having been so careless. 

Imagine his surprise when the large rab- 
65 

J 


bit turned about and asked Nixie if he was 
hurt! And he really begged Nixie’s pardon 
for having bumped into him. (Of course the 
fault was Nixie’s; you know that!) 

Our little bunny didn’t know what to say. 
And somehow he felt ashamed of himself — 
much more ashamed than he would have felt 
if the big rabbit had scolded him. 

As he wandered through the palace, not 
knowing where he was going, Nixie met 
many other rabbits. 

Some were old, some were middle-aged, 
and some were young. But every one of 
them was polite. 

Some said, “Good-morning.” 

Others said, “How-do-you-do.” 

Still others said, “A pleasant morning, sir.” 

And each of them bowed to Nixie. 

But Nixie said not a word. He really 
didn’t know what to say. He had never 
thought much about politeness himself, al- 
though his mother had tried hard to teach 
him more manners. 

Nixie thought he was going toward the 
66 


king’s room where he had been the day be- 
fore. But I do not know where he would 
have strayed, if the servant with the red 
uniform had not found him. 

“Where’s the king I” Nixie asked at once. 

“Very likely his majesty is in his study,” 
the servant answered. “Come this way, sir,” 
he said. 

They went before the king. Nixie with his 
cap on his head. His boots were muddy 
from walking in the garden the evening be- 
fore. Besides, his hands and face were dirty 
again. But he didn’t seem to mind about 
these things. 

“Well, lad, did you sleep well?” the king 
asked Nixie. 

“You bet I did!” answered Nixie. At this 
every one smiled. King Kindheart himself 
laughed aloud. And Nixie laughed with him. 

“Come now. Nixie,” said the king; “you 
and I will have breakfast together. After 
that I have a surprise for you.” 

Then the king removed Nixie’s cap for 
him. And he called one of the servants and 


67 


told Nixie to go with him. He whispered 
something into Nixie’s ear. 

The servant and Nixie went out of the 
room. Soon they returned. How different 
Nixie looked! He was as clean and neat as 
a pin now. 

Then first the king and Nixie went for 
their breakfast. 

That morning there were lettuce leaves 
and carrots (with the tops cut off) for break- 
fast. Oh, yes! — and each rabbit had a glass 
of water besides. 

Now Nixie was very fond of lettuce leaves, 
and so he ate them all! He left none for the 
king. 

Would you have believed any little rabbit 
could be so greedy and rude? 

Of course the king didn’t say anything, 
but I wonder what he must have thought! 

After King Kindheart and Nixie had had 
their breakfast, they returned to the king’s 
study. No sooner had the door been 
closed behind them, when Nixie began ask- 
ing, “Where’s the surprise?” 

68 


“Just be a little patient, Nixie,” answered 
the king. “There will be plenty of surprises 
soon enough.” 

The words were hardly spoken, when a 
beautiful carriage drew up before the 
palace. It was drawn by four handsome 
rabbits. And who do you suppose was in 
the carriage? 



Why, none other than the king’s wife, the 
Queen of Manners-Land; his two sons, the 
Princes of Manners-Land; and his only 
daughter, the Princess of Manners-Land. 

The king’s family had just returned from 
a long journey. They had been visiting 
69 


with their relatives. And you may be sure 
that the king was glad to see them again. 

King Kindheart introduced Nixie to his 
family. They thought he was a real nice, 
neat little bunny. (But, oh my! what would 
they have thought if they had seen him 
before the king had had him taken to the 
bathroom?) 



The king’s children were pretty little 
rabbits. 

The princes’ names were Blinky and 
70 


Winky, and the little princess was named 
Pinky. Aren’t these funny names? 

Prince Blinky, the elder son, and Prince 
Winky, the younger, soon had Nixie out 
in the king’s gardens with them, playing 
all sorts of games. They were glad to have 
this new playmate, who was o'f about the 
age of the younger prince. 

They played together for a long time, 
and how they did enjoy themselves! At 
last they were tired, and so they went into 
the king’s study. The little princes begged 
their father to tell them a story. 

“A story! a story! Oh, please tell us a 
story!” they cried together. 

“It has been a long time, you know, papa, 
since you told us a story,” added Blinky. 

“Well, what kind of a story shall it be?” 
the king asked, when he had hugged all 
three of the little bunnies. 

“Something that’s really, truly true!” they 
answered. 

And so, of course, the king had to tell 
them a story. 


71 



J 


I-thank-you-sir and If-you-please, 

Good little brothers two are these. 

Good brothers two have still another — 
Give-me-these is their naughty brother. 

And By-and-by, What-for? and Wliy? 
Are cousins bad of Now and Try. 


X 


THE KING TELLS MOEE STOEIES 

This was the story which the king told 
the three little bunnies: 

Once a very hungry little bunny went to 
the table. There were a number of other 
bunnies there, some much older than he. 

He quietly took the seat that was given 
him. 

While the older rabbits talked, he said not 
a word. 

Wliile the rest were being served, he sat 
very still and waited patiently. 

At last every one else was enjoying a 
good dinner. And this little bunny grew 
more and more hungry each minute. 

He could hardly keep the tears back now, 
he was so hungry. Still, he did not ask for 
anything. 

When it was found that he had been for- 
7.3 


gotten, but was so well-behaved, every one 
praised him. 

They said he was a good bunny. They 
said he was a polite bunny. 

And he had the best dinner they were 
able to give him, you may be sure. 

Here the king stopped. 

“Is that all?” Nixie asked. 

Before the king could answer, the two 
little princes cried, “Tell us some more! 
Oh, please tell us some more!” 

“Well,” said King Kindheart, “there really 
isn’t much more to tell. But when this 
good bunny did get his dinner, he ate it in 
a quiet, mannerly way. It was a pleasure 
to see him.” 

Here the king stopped again. 

“Is that the end of the story?” Nixie 
asked. 

The king nodded his head. 

“Then please tell us another one — a differ- 
ent one this time,” Prince Blinky said. 

So, ta satisfy them, the king told another 
74 


story, a different one this time. And here 
it is: 

Once another very hungry bunny went to 
another table. There were other rabbits 
seated at this table, also. 

This bunny looked from one to another, 
and then he sat down. 

As he was very hungry, he at once began 
asking for this and for that, and not in the 
most polite way, either. 

He would say: “Give me this!” and “Give 
me that!” 

He might just as easily have said: “If 
you please,” and “I thank you, sir.” 

And the things he couldn’t reach he would 
crawl after. 

And the things he happened to like very 
much he ate a great deal of. Of some things 
he ate so much that there was none left for 
the other rabbits at the table. 

He spilled his water on the tablecloth. 

The milk he drank from the milk pitcher, 
instead of sipping it slowly from a glass! 

75 


Then he cut his mouth with the table knife, 
when he shouldn’t have put the knife into 
his mouth at all! 

And the way that bunny did cry! You 
would have thought some one was killing 
him. 

Next, he threw his knife down, saying, 
“Bad knife! why did you cut me*?” Wasn’t 
that silly of him*? For, of course, the knife 
wasn’t to blame. 

The fork and the spoon he threw after the 
knife. Then he began grabbing things from 
all over the table. 

In fact, this little bunny did so many 
things that were not nice that every one 
was quite willing to have him served first. 
They thought him very rude and disagree- 
able, and were glad when he left the table. 

Here the king stopped. He looked down 
at the three little bunnies, and especially 
at Nixie. Nixie hung his head. 

“Is that the end of the story?” asked 
Winky, the younger son. 

76 


“Yes,” the king answered, “that is the 
end of the story.” 

Nixie hadn’t said a word. Somehow or 
other the story made him feel unhappy. 

Perhaps he was making up his mind about 
something. Anyway, when the king asked, 
“Like which bunny do you think you would 
like to be?” Nixie answered with the others. 
“Like the first one.” 

“And why?” asked the king. 

“Because every one liked him,” answered 
the little bunnies. 

“And why not like the 
second one?” asked the king. 

“Because every one 
thought him rude and dis- 
agreeable, and no one liked 
him,” Prince Blinky said. 

And it was plain, from the 
way the other two bunnies 
nodded their heads, that they 
fully agreed with Blinky. 



77 


o. 



He was just a little lad, 

A little lad was lie; 

She was just a little girl, 

As pretty as could be. 

He was bad, this little lad — 
Oh, very bad was he! 

She was good, this little girl. 
As every one could see. 

Every day the two would play, 
And thus it was that he — 

Naughty little lad — ^more like 
The good girl grew to be. 


XI 


MANY PLEASANT DAYS 

Nixie spent a long time in Manners-Land, 
or what is a long time in a rabbit’s life. 
For rabbits do not live as long as people do, 
you know. 

If a bunny is fortunate enough not to be 
killed by some one of his enemies of the 
woods — and be has many — ^be may live to 
an age of seven or eight years. 

That is, be may if be is swift enough and 
sly enough also to escape the hunter’s gun, 
and the farmer’s cat, and the farmer’s dog. 

When a rabbit is five, or six, or seven years 
old, he is considered quite old. He perhaps 
has grown-up sons and daughters, who, in 
turn, have grown-up children themselves. 

He may be a great-grandfather, or per- 
haps a great-great-grandfather. 

Rabbit families grow very fast. And if 
no rabbits ever were killed, and all should 
79 


die a natural death, I imagine most of them 
would have to go quite hungry the greater 
part of their short lives. Soon there would 
be, oh, ever so many of them! — many more 
of them than of us, you may be sure. 

As I was about to say. Nixie was enjoying 
his stay in Manners-Land. He had learned 
from the other little rabbits to play all kinds 
of interesting games. 

They would hop, jump, and frolic around 
in the king’s gardens, and outside of them 
as well, and have the most fun possible. 

Each day more and more little bunnies 
would gather together to play. Nixie had 
made many good friends, and was always 
making new ones. 

There was one bunny, however, whom 
he liked better than all the rest. She was 
a brownish-gray rabbit, with a little white 
spot on the back of her neck. 

Her ears were somewhat shorter than 
Nixie’s. Her eyes were brown, like his, and 
they bulged out of her little oval head in 
the same way. 


80 


She was smaller than Mxie, and just as 
pretty, if not prettier. 

Bunny Girl. 

Bunny Girl came from 
I know not where. Per- 
haps she, too, had lost 
het way and strayed 
into Manners-Land, as 
had Nixie. 

But I don’t believe 
that she had ever been 
naughty! 

One can tell whether 
or not a rabbit is naughty by looking at 
him, just as you can tell if little girls and 
boys are had, by looking at them. 

If they are bad, they show it in their 
faces. And if they are good, the goodness 
shows there, too. 

Well, you may believe that Nixie was 
kind to Bunny Girl! And every one else 
had to be, or he couldn’t he friends with 
Nixie. 

Bunny Girl liked Nixie, too. 

81 


Her name was 



And because Nixie liked Bunny Girl so, 
lie tried harder each day to behave himself. 
He wished to be as good a rabbit as the 
best of them, so that Bunny Girl might 
always like him. 

And I must say that Nixie was getting 
along nicely. 

He had learned to be quite polite. He 
would now lift his cap and smile when he 
met any one he knew. 

He would get up in the morning when 
called the first time. (I wonder how many 
children do that!) 

As soon as he was up he would sponge 
his fur and then brush it neatly. 

He would brush his clothes. He would 
shine his little boots (whenever he wore 
them), and he always cleaned them on the 
mat before going indoors. 

He was no longer selfish as he had been. 
He had learned to think of others besides 
himself. 

But something happened one day that 
made him feel very, very sad. 

82 



The way that it happened was this: 

Nixie and the little princes and some other 
bunnies were playing together. Suddenly 
Nixie saw on the ground an army of ants 
marching in orderly parade. 

Perhaps they were parading in honor of 
some one. Or maybe it was an ant holiday. 
Anyway, they seemed very happy. 

When Nixie saw them, he began to jump 
and shout, “Look here! Look here!” 

The other little bunnies crowded about 
him, but they did not seem to find the ants 
so very amusing. 

“Well, what is it. Nixie?” one of them 
asked. 

“Look here! Look here! don’t you see?” 
cried Nixie. He pointed to the ground. 

83 


The little ants were close to Nixie’s feet 
now. He kept jumping up and down. Now 
they were under his feet. Still he jumped up 
and down, until he had killed every one of 
the poor little things! 

The other bunnies looked on in astonish- 
ment. 

“Oh, Nixie,” one of them cried, “just see 
what you have done!” 

“I killed the little rascals — every last one 
of them!” laughed Nixie. 

But none of the other bunnies laughed. 

“Don’t you think that was mean of youf’ 
one of them asked Nixie. “Suppose some 
big giant should jump on us now, and hurt 
or kill every one of us. How would you like 
that?” 

Nixie couldn’t answer. He really hadn’t 
meant to be cruel. He just hadn’t stopped 
to think. 

Nothing more was said about what had 
happened, but Nixie felt bad for several 
days after. 

He was glad, however, that Bunny Girl 


had not been there that day. As it was, he 
felt ashamed of himself, but, oh, how he 
should have felt if she had been there! He 
hoped no one would tell her of what he had 
done. 

He made up his mind to be kind in the 
future to every living thing, however small. 

And so as to remember his resolve, he 
wrote it out on a large sheet of bark, and 
here it is: 


\V1]/ ho A/ib 






85 



I’m glad I am a bunny, 

And have a pleasant home; 
For if I were a grasshopper, 
I s’pose I should have none. 


XII 


WORD FROM HOME 

Early one morning King Kindheart sent 
for Nixie. The king had not seen him for 
some time, and was surprised at the change 
that had come over him. He hardly knew 
the little fellow. 

And I don’t wonder — not one bit! 

Nixie came into the king’s study with his 
cap in his hand. He looked cheerful and 
happy. 

His fur was brushed. His face was 
washed. His clothes were clean. His boots 
were well polished. He looked a model 
bunny in every way. 

And when the king greeted him, Nixie 
bowed and said, “Good-morning, your Maj- 
esty,” in a low, cheery voice. 

“Well,” said the king, “I have some glad 
news for you. Nixie. My messengers have 
returned. Your home has been found.” 


87 


Instead of shouting “Hurrah!” or “Three 
cheers and a tiger!” or something like that, 
Nixie only smiled and said happily, “Oh, 
how glad I am! 

Not that I do not like Manners-Land,” 
he hastened to add, for fear he might hurt 
the kind king’s feelings. “I think Manners- 
Land is the nicest place I have ever been 
in — that is, except my own home. 

You know, I can’t help wishing to go back 
to my home. I haven’t seen my mother for 
a very long time! 

You have been very kind to me, your Maj- 
esty. I wish I could do something for you!” 

Nixie hung his head sorrowfully. 

“You have already done a great deal for 
me, I think,” replied the king. “By trying 
hard to be good, you have already repaid 
me partly for what I have done for you. 
Now, if you will promise to try always to 
be good, I shall consider that you have 
quite repaid me.” 

Of course Nixie promised. 

Then the king handed him a little box. 

88 


•‘May you always think of Manners-Land 
when you look at it,” said he.^ 

What do you suppose was in the box? 

For fear that you cannot guess, I will 
tell you. It was a little gold watch, with 
tiny hands that told the time, and the 
softest “tick-tick” that any one could wish 
to listen to. 

My! wasn’t Nixie surprised and delighted! 

P And who wouldn’t have been! 

He thanked the king over and over again. 

Then he went out to bid all his bunny 
friends good-by. 

He shook hands with them and told them 
how much he had enjoyed their company. 

They were sorry to see him go, and begged 
him to come and visit them soon again. 

But one little rabbit was missing, and 
could not be found. This made Nixie feel 
very unhappy, for the missing one was none 
other than his dearest little friend. Bunny 
Girl. 

Where could she be? 

No one seemed to know. 


89 


They searched throughout the entire king- 
dom of Manners-Land, but she was not to 
be found. 

King Kindheart said that she must have 
strayed outside his kingdom, and perhaps 
could not find her way hack. He promised 
to have his messengers .search for her, and 
let Nixie know if she was found. 

As it was growing late. Nixie and the 
king’s messenger must lose no more time 
in making a start for Nixie’s home. 

Nixie had on a brand-new suit of clothes, 
which the king had given him. 

He had on a new cap, too. And in his 
handkerchief iDOcket there had been placed 
a nice white silk handkerchief, with the 
initial “N” on it. 

You surely wouldn’t have known Nixie 
now! 

After waving good-by (with his new silk 
pocket-handkerchief). Nixie and the mes- 
senger started up the same rabbit-way 
through which Nixie had first entered 
Manners-Land. 


90 


But somehow it looked difterent to him 
now. 

He noticed that it was straight like a 
tunnel, and not at all like the rabbit-hole 
that led 'to his home. 

“What a silly little thing I must have 
been, not to see the difference!” Nixie said 
to himself. 

“Were you speaking to me, sir?” the king’s 
messenger asked. 

“No, I was just talking to myself,” Nixie 
replied. 

“I was wondering how I could have mis- 
taken this rabbit-hole for our rabbit-hole — 
that is, I mean the one that leads to my 
mother’s home. 

Why, it’s strange that I didn’t bump into 
this big tree and knock my head off. You 
see, there is no tree at the entrance to my 
home. My home is in the side of a hill.” 

They wound their way in and out through 
the woods. 

And often Nixie and the king’s messenger 
had to stop, as other rabbits had heard of 
91 



Nixie’s adventures and wished to see liiin 
and shake hands with him. 

It was dark outside when they reached 
Nixie’s home. And it wasn’t much lighter 
inside. As you will remember I told you, the 
Cottontails’ house was lighted by only one 
92 


candle. It was a liumble home. Still, Nixie 
liked it better than any other place in the 
world. 

How glad Nixie’s mother was to see him! 
She had long ago given him up for lost. 

She kissed him first on one cheek, then 
on the other. And she hugged him again 
and again. 

Nixie hugged and kissed her. Then he 
hugged and kissed each one of his brothers 
and sisters. He had brought each little 
rabbit a present, and there was one for his 
mother, too, you may be sure! 

Then Nixie had to tell them his whole 
story, while the other bunnies kept saying, 
“How fine!” “How wonderful!” 

They were all very proud of him, now that 
he was so good, so kind, and so mannerly . 

Old Mr s. Cottontail could hardly believe 
that this was her son, for Nixie had been 
so very, very naughty before he was lost. 
But now — now anybody would have been 
proud of Nixie Bunny Cottontail! 


93 



MUSIC BY ALYS e. aeNTLBf 


hj\i ^ t i \ ^ i ] 


A big white owl sat in a tree— A 


^ J J f J I 


wise old bird he looked to be; His 


^ r J I ^ i|j 1 


eyes were large, his ears were, too,— To- 


I 


rl 'J ^ J \ 




whit! to-whoo! to - whit! to - whoo! 



XIII 


NIXIE IS SAD 

When the news spread about that Nixie 
was at home again, and that he was such 
a fine bunny, all the rabbits for miles around 
came to see him. 

And those that couldn’t come to see him 
wrote him letters. 

But in spite of all this. Nixie was sad. 

He was sad because he had heard nothing 
of Bunny Grirl. 

As time passed. Nixie grew more and more 
unhappy. 

He would hardly eat. He could scarcely 
sleep. He grew very thin. 

But when any one asked Nixie what was 
the matter with him, he would simply shake 
his head. He would not even talk. 

As he was growing worse, Mrs. Cottontail 
made up her mind to find out what ailed 
him. 


95 


So, one afternoon after Nixie had not slept 
for several days, and was sitting up even 
then, Mrs. Cottontail went to him. 

‘‘I know that something is troubling you. 
Nixie, dear,” she said. “Won’t you tell me 
what it is^ Perhaps I can help you.” 

She stroked his fur and patted his head, 
as she used to do when Nixie was much 
younger, and, oh, that made Nixie feel so 
different! And then he told his mother all 
about Bunny Girl. 

He told her how he had met Bunny Girl 
in Manners-Land. He told her how fond he 
had grown of this little brownish-gray rab- 
bit, and how she had disappeared before 
he left the land over which good King 
Kindheart ruled. 

And that is why he felt so sad. That is 
why he would hardly eat and could scarcely 
sleep. That is why he had grown so thin. 
It was all because Bunny Girl was lost, and 
he was so fond of her. My, how fond of her 
he must have been! 

Now as it happened, Mrs. Cottontail was 
96 


able to help Nixie more than he thought she 
would be. 

After Nixie had finished his story, Mrs. 
Cottontail said: 

“Why didn’t you tell me of your troubles 
sooner, my dear child*? I think I can help 
you. 

On the outer edge of our wood lives a 
very wise old owl. He is white in color, and 
has large eyes and ears. 

Of course, there are many such owls in 
these woods. And you well know how care- 
ful one must be not to get too near them. 

But this owl of which I speak is different. 
He is harmless, for his home is in a cage. 

Go to this owl and ask him if he can tell 
you where you would be able to find Bunny 
Girl. I am sure he can help you.” 

These words cheered Nixie greatly. He 
wished to start for the woods at once. But 
his mother said he had better wait until 
evening, and then one of his brothers could 
go with him. Mrs. Cottontail said she would 
not feel so worried if two of them went. 


97 


So in the evening the two bunnies started 
off for the outer edge of the wood. 

And Mrs. Cottontail’s last words to them 
were, “Now, he sure that you go to the right 
owl. See that there is a cage around him 
before you go very near.” 

Nixie and his brother had no trouble in 
finding the white owl with the large eyes 
and ears, and the cage around him. 

As they approached the cage. Nixie bowed 
and said, “How-do-you-do, Mr. Owl!” 

The owl sat so still that you would have 
thought he was made of stone. But pres- 
ently he blinked one eye, and then he 
blinked the other in a very wise way. 

And then he said simply: 

“To- whit! to- whit! to-whoo! 

Who, who, who, who are you?” 

“My name is Nixie Bunny Cottontail, sir,” 
Nixie answered. 

The owl blinked his eyes again, and then 
he asked haughtily: 

“Why, why, why, whee, whee, whee. 

Why do you come to me?” 

98 


“I have come for advice, Mr. Owl,” Nixie 
said. “My mother sent me to you. Bunny 
Girl, a dear friend of mine, is lost and cannot 
he found. As you are such a very wise bird, 
my mother thought you might be able to 
tell me where to go to find her.” 

The owl seemed greatly flattered to be 
called a “very wise bird.” He puffed him- 
self up a little more, and then he spoke: 

“I have lived in and about this place for 
many years. I know nearly everybody for 
miles around. When any one gets into 
trouble, he comes to me for advice. As you 
say, I am a very wise bird. 

But, you see,” he continued, “I have to 
live in a cage. Although I am given plenty 
to eat, there are many things which I should 
like to have that I am not given. So when 
I give advice I make a charge for it. 

I think I can help you find this Bunny 
Girl. But, of course, you will have to pay - 
me.” 

“I will pay you with anything that I 
have,” Nixie said. 


99 


“But you must pay me with something 
that you haven’t, this time,” the owl 
answered. “The things that you have, I do 
not care about. 

If I help you find Bunny Girl, you must 
pay me with six live mice.” 

“But I haven’t six live mice,” Nixie said. 
“Neither can I get them for you.” 

“Yes you can, young fellow; yes you can,” 
the owl answered quickly. “And you had 
better do so, too, if you wish to find Bunny 
Girl. 

Now I shall tell you how you can get 
these six live mice. Mind what I say! Mind 
what I say! 

To-day a boy in trouble came to me. He 
goes to the school near by. The children in 
his class were told by the teacher to find 
out something about rabbits and to bring 
one of them to school if they could. 

Well, these children know very little 
about rabbits, and they haven’t been able to 
find one to take to school. So this boy came 
to me for advice. 


100 


I told him that for three live mice I Would 
get him some one to tell the children all 
about jrabhits. Now, I haven’t been able to 
find any one yet. So you must do this. 

Then the boy will give me the three mice. 
And you must have him give you six mice 
for telling the children what they wish to 
know. These, too, you will bring to me. 
Then I will tell you where to find Bunny 
Girl.” 

“But,” Nixie said, “these children may 
kill me.” 

“No, they won’t,” the owl replied. “They 
won’t harm you.” 

“Well, I will risk anything for Bunny 
Girl,” Nixie said, sadly. 

“So if it is a bargain, be here to-morrow 
morning at eight o’clock,” • the owl said. 

“I will,” Nixie replied. “Good-night.” And 
the two rabbits hopped away toward home. 

But the owl sat up in the tree all night 
long and kept saying to himself: 

“To-whit! to- whit! to-whoo! 

Who, who, who, who are you?” 

101 



Sniffle, sniffle, bunny goes. 
Always sniffing with his nose. 

Sniff, sniff, sniffle, sniffle — so. 
What does sniffle mean? I know! 

Sniffle means beware! take care! 
There is danger in the air. 


XIV 


THE OWL MAKES A BARGAIN 

A little before eight o’clock the next morn- 
ing, Nixie was back at the owl’s cage. He 
was alone this time, as Nixie’s mother had 
some errands for his bunny brother to run. 

The boy had not yet come. 

Nixie looked at Mr. Owl, bowed, and said, 
“Grood-morning,” but the owl did not 
answer. He winked and he blinked in his 
wise old way, but Nixie had his opinion of 
the owl by this time. 

“He can surely drive a good bargain, 
though!” he said to himself. “First he has 
the boy give him three live mice — and for 
what? Just for getting me to tell some 
children about rabbits. 

And then this boy must give me six live 
mice for what I am to do. And then I 
must give these six mice, also, to the owl. 
A hard bargain for the boy, it seems to me!” 

103 


Then Nixie sat down to think it over. 

He sat and he thought for some time. 
All of a sudden he pricked up his ears and 
exclaimed, “And what does the owl mean 
to do with the three live mice and the six 
live mice? Yes, what does he mean to do 
with them? 

He surely doesn’t wish them for pets! 
He’s an old grouch; he wouldn’t wish any 
pets. Besides, he couldn’t keep them in this 
cage; they would get away from him. 

Strange I hadn’t thought of that before! 
I shall have to ask the owl about that.” 

At that moment there was a sound of 
breaking twigs. Up went Nixie’s ears! 

Some one was coming! Nixie hid him- 
self behind a log. 

It was the boy! Nixie’s heart went “pit-a- 
pat,” so loud that he was afraid the boy 
might hear it. The poor little bunny was 
rather frightened. 

The boy went up to the owl’s cage. “Well, 
good fellow,” he said, “have you found out 
anything for me?” 


104 


To which the owl’s only answer was, 

“To-wliit! to- whit! to-whoo! 

Who, who, who, who are you?” 

“Come, now,” the boy said, “I have no time 
to waste on yon. I must get back to school 
before the bell rings. 

I know that you can’t see very well in 
the daytime, but I have been here no less 
than a half-dozen times already. It is about 
time that you knew me by my voice.” 

This roused the owl. “So it is you, my 
boy, is it?” he said. “Well, I have things 
planned very nicely, only you will have to 
pay six more live mice.” 

“Six more live mice!” the boy said. “What 
for?” 

“Because that’s my price,” the owl 
answered. 

“Well, have it your way then,” the boy 
said. “I guess six mice won’t make a very 
great difference.” 

Now, as he had things fixed up with the 
boy, the owl began whistling for Nixie. 

Up went Nixie’s ears again. The boy saw 
105 


them this time. But Nixie was afraid to 
come from behind the log. 

“So, you have a bunny here, have you?” 
the hoy said to the owl. 

“Yes, the foolish thing!” the owl said, “he’s 
afraid of his own shadow.” 

“Perhaps he has reason to be,” the boy 
answered, “with such as you around. I’ll 
go and get him.” 

The boy started toward Nixie, but Nixie 
began to run. 

“Don’t run, little rabbit,” the boy said. “I 
won’t harm you.” 

Nixie stopped in his tracks and looked 
at the hoy. The boy didn’t look like a bad 
boy at all, and so Nixie stood still until he 
came close. 

“Come, let us go to the owl together,” the 
boy said. So they walked side by side to the 
owl’s cage. 

The owl eyed them curiously. 

“Well, if you’ve gotten over your foolish- 
ness,” he said, frowning upon Nixie, “let us 
get down to business. 

106 


This is the boy from the nearby school. 
Are you ready to help him? 

If so, he will give you six live mice for it. 
Then you will bring these mice to me and 
I will tell you where you may find Bunny 
Girl.” 



107 



The boy said, “Yes, I will give you the six 
live mice, Mr. Bunny. And then you can do 
with them as you please.” 

“But what do you intend doing with them, 
Mr. Owl?” Nixie asked. 

“Well, I don’t know that that concerns 
you,” the owl replied. 

“And yet I don’t mind telling you. What 
did you suppose I meant to do with them? 
Hang them up by their tails for their good 
looks? Indeed, they’re not pretty enough 
for that! Eat them! I mean to eat them!” 

Nixie trembled at the thought of this. So 
the owl meant to eat the poor little mice! 
Yes, and he would have eaten Nixie, too, if 
only he had had half a chance. 

“I didn’t know that that was why you 
wished the mice, Mr. Owl,” Nixie said-, sadly. 
“But as it is, I cannot make this bargain.” 

“But you must! you must!” the owl 
answered, as he shook his head and ham- 
mered with his claws. 

“You must! you must! or you will never 
see Bunny Girl again.” 

108 


Oh, Bunny Girl! Bunny Girl! If it 
weren’t for Bunny Girl! Poor Nixie began 
to cry. 

The boy took him by the hand and petted 
him. He said, “Don’t cry! don’t cry, little 
rabbit. I don’t know who this girl may be 
of whom the owl speaks, but if you love her 
so, and the owl can find her for you for just 
six little mice, why, give them to him! 

Mice are no good, anyway. Everybody is 
only too glad to get rid of them. I will give 
you these six live mice.” 

And, as the owl said he would have nothing 
else, and Nixie felt sure he could not live 
without Bunny Girl, they made the bargain. 

Nixie was to go to the school the next day 
to tell about rabbits and rabbit ways. 

And then — oh joy! he would receive the 
six live mice, which he would give to the 
owl, and then the owl would tell him where 
to find Bunny Girl, the dearest little rabbit 
he had ever known! 


109 



I wonder what’s the mean- 
ing 

Of these tracks in the 
snow — 

The tiny tracks so winding. 
That seem nowhere to go! 


Oh, who has seen my bunny? 

For he has strayed away; 
Will some one help me find ^ 
him, 

And bring him home to stay ? 


Across the snow last ev’ning 
I think he hopped away ! 
Ah, there you are, my 
bunny — 

My bunny rabbit gray! 


XV 

ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL 

Nixie was up very early the next morning. 
He could hardly wait until it was time for 
him to go to the school. 

He looked up at the sky. It was cloudy. 
He hoped it would not rain, as he meant to 
wear his new suit of clothes and did not 
wish to have it spoiled. 

Suddenly it grew colder, and before Nixie 
was ready to set out, the ground was covered 
with snow. 

Nixie was much pleased. He didn’t like 
rain, but snow — oh my! how that rabbit 
loved snow! 

That morning he used great care in wash- 
ing himself, and brushing himself, and dress- 
ing himself. And when he was ready to 
start, he looked as neat as a new pin. 

He carried a black box in one hand. Now 
what do you suppose Nixie had in that box? 

Ill 


“Books,” you say? 

No, bunnies don’t learn from books! The 
woods and the fields are their books. 

Some things come to rabbits naturally, as 
they do to us. Others are taught the little 
ones by their mothers and by other friendly 
rabbits. But the rabbits’ best lessons come 
from experience with their enemies and with 
things of their own little world. 

So you see, it wasn’t books Nixie had in 
that black box. 

When his mother asked him what he had 
there, all he would say was, “A surprise for 
the children.” 

Just as Nixie started out he saw some chil- 
dren coming along the road. They were on 
their way to school. 

Rabbits are very timid, you know. When 
Nixie saw the children he hopped behind a 
bush. He didn’t mean to be rude, but he 
just couldn’t help it. 

When the children reached the spot where 
Nixie had been, they noticed tracks in the 
snow. They decided these were rabbit 
112 


tracks. And as they had been told to find 
out all they could about rabbits, they were 
at once interested. 

“Let us follow them!” one of the boys 
shouted. 

And follow them they did. The tracks 
wound in and out. They went this way and 
that, but nowhere in particular, it seemed. 

Still the children went on. At last, near 
a fallen tree, one of the boys noticed some- 
thing like two branches of wood sticking up. 
He looked again. They moved! 

“They are ears,” he said. “Be quiet! I 
think they are the ears of a bunny.” 

He tiptoed around the log. The wind was 
blowing away from Mxie, and so our bunny 
didn’t scent him coming. 

My! wasn’t Nixie surprised when the 
children stood before him! 

“Good-morning!” one of them said. 

Nixie did not try to run away. Though he 
was ever so timid, he was no coward. 

But before he had time to answer, one of 
the girls said, “We are Miss Adams’s chil- 
lis 



dren. Our school is up on the hill. We 
have been told to find out all we could about 
bunnies like you, and are going to have a 
bunny talk to us to-day.” 

“This bunny is supposed to be a good, 
and wise, and well-behaved rabbit. He has 
Just returned from a place called Manners- 
Land,” spoke up another of the children. 

“Yes, and Mr. Owl sent him to us. His 
name is Mr. Mxie Bunny Cottontail,” a 
third child said. 

“Do you know him?” they all asked, 
almost in the same breath. 

“Yes, indeed!” Nixie answered. He lifted 
his hat politely and bowed. “That is my 
114 


name. I am pleased to meet all of you.” 
And lie bowed again. 

This time the children were surprised. 
How they wished they had not said so 
much! But Nixie didn’t seem to mind at 
all. He just smiled and was as pleasant as 
ever he could be. 

One of the boys offered to carry Nixie’s 
black box for him, but Nixie said he would 
rather carry it himself. 

“You see,” he said, “I have a surprise in 
there, and I shouldn’t like to have anything 
happen to it.” 

So they went along. Nixie carrying the 
black box, and the children wondering what 
the “surprise” might be. 

At the schoolhouse door they were met by 
Miss Adams. She greeted Nixie and the 
children pleasantly. Then they all entered 
the schoolroom. 

No one was absent that day, you may be 
sure! And every one was on time! 


115 



Four furry little legs — just four — 
These are the hind, these are the fore; 
These do the digging, hands are they; 
These do the jumping night and day. 


XVI 


NIXIE IN THE SCHOOLEOOM 

Miss Adams gave Nixie the visitor’s seat, 
on the platform, next to herself. 

At nine o’clock the bell rang and every 
one took his seat. The room was so quiet 
that you could have heard a pin drop. 

“Now, children,” said Miss Adams, rising 
from her seat, “Mr. Nixie Bunny Cottontail 
has come to tell us some facts about himself 
and other rabbits. 

Mr. Cottontail has just lately returned 
from Manners-Land, the rabbit kingdom 
where King Kindheart rules. I am sure we 
are very fortunate in having with us so 
distinguished a visitor.” 

Then all the children clapped their hands. 
And Nixie bowed and smiled. 

As Nixie liked best to sit on the floor, the 
children spread papers over it and all sat 
about in a circle. Nixie sat in the center. 

117 



And you should have heard the things the 
children said, and the questions they asked 
of him! 

The fun started when a little tot of a girl 
said, “What long ears you have. Bunny!” 

“The better to hear with,” Nixie replied. 
“You know, my hearing is very keen.” 

“What large eyes you have!” came from 
another. 

“The better to see with,” said Nixie. 

“Wliat a short tail you have!” another 
118 


child exclaimed. “It looks like a little 
Cotton cushion.” 

“It is just that,” Nixie replied. “You see, 
I have no need of a long tail. I am better 
off without it. If I had a long tail it might 
get tangled in the briers, or in a barb- 
wire fence, some time when I was in a hurry 
to get away from one of my enemies.” 

“What long, soft hair you have!” said one 
of the boys, stroking Nixie’s back. 

“That is to keep me warm in the winter,” 
Nixie explained. 

“And what a pretty color it is!” added 
one of the girls. 

“It is more useful than pretty,” Nixie 
replied. “When I am in the woods, my fur 
matches the color of things about me. So, if 
I see danger ahead, or behind, or at one 
side — for my eyes can see backward and for- 
ward and on all sides, as well as those of a 
bird — I can squat right down and then I am 
hard to find. It is only when I am moving 
about that I am easily seen.” 

“Why are your feet shaped so?” another 
119 


child inquired. “Other animals don’t have 
feet like yours.” 

“Well, n-o, other animals don’t have feet 
just exactly like mine,” Nixie replied. 

“But, then,” he added, “other animals don’t 
do as I do, either, nor live as I live. 

I think my feet are very good for hopping 
and jumping, don’t you?” 

He had no sooner finished saying this, 
when over the head of one of the children 
he jumped. Then around the room he 
hopped. And before most of them knew it 
he was back in the center of the circle. 

How the 
children did 
laugh! I think 
they quite 
agreed with 
him about his 
feet. 

“And, besides,” Nixie went on, “I must 
dig my home in the ground, unless I am 
fortunate enough to find a nice hollow tree 
or stump to live in. 

120 




Ji 


My fore feet, or hands, are made just right 
for this, while my hind feet are the very 
things for pushing back the earth that my 
front feet dig up. Some people call my way 
of digging burrowing.” 

“How quietly you move about, Mr. Nixie!” 
several children cried. “We could hardly 
hear you hopping around the room.” 

“That is because my hind legs are pad- 
ded,” Nixie explained. “Feel the cushions 
on them, and notice the hrush-like hairs and 
the strong nails on my feet.” 

“Do you always hurry so?” some one 
asked. 

“Oh, no!” Nixie answered. “If no one is 
chasing me, I don’t go so fast. But if a fox, 
or a hawk, or an owl, or some other enemy 
is after me, I run for dear life. And then 
I am glad enough that my feet are formed 
as they are, you may be sure.” 

Just then the bell rang for recess, and 
Miss Adams and the children and Nixie all 
went out-of-doors for a breath of fresh air. 


121 




Ding, dong! ding, dell! Why rings the bell? 
Ding, dong! ding, dell! Why rings the bell? 


^ I ^' 1 h ^UJ 

Ding, dong! ding, dell! School is be - gun. 
Ding, dong! ding, dell! School is done. 



XVII 


LUNCH TIME 

The time passed quickly for the children 
between recess and noon. 

The bell rang, “Ding, dong! ding, dell! 
ding, dong! ding, dell!” and every one knew 
that it was lunch time, except Nixie. 

Nixie rather liked the sound of the bell, 
but he couldn’t make out the meaning. So 
the children had to tell him. 

All the children had brought their 
lunches, and Miss Adams had hers, too. 
Only Nixie hadn’t brought any. 

But Miss Adams had provided for Nixie’s 
lunch. He wasn’t to go hungry, you may 
be sure! 

Miss Adams had told the pupils the day 
before each to bring something that Nixie 
would eat. She had not told them what to 
bring — each child was to decide that for 
himself. 


123 


And, oh, the things they had brought for 
that rabbit! 

He would have had to be several times 
his size to be able to eat even a half of 
them. And I am sure some of the things 
would have made him feel quite queer. 

There were dried clover tops, and oats, and 
carrots, and cabbage leaves, and turnips, and 
apples, and several other things that I should 
call good food for bunnies, and that. Nixie 
liked very well. 

But some of the children had brought such 
things as bread, and cake, and biscuit, and 
oranges, and bananas. And one boy had 
even brought a meat sandwich for Nixie! 

Of course, he couldn’t eat any of these! 

After spreading their paper napkins out 
nicely, and one for Nixie, the children set 
about eating their lunches. But they really 
spent more time in watching than in eating. 

And how they chattered! And what a 
good time they all had! 

First, Nixie would bite off a piece of cab- 
bage, or apple, or whatever else it might be, 
124 


with his long, chisel-shaped, sharp front 
teeth. A rabbit has only four of these 
teeth — two in the upper jaw and two in 
the lower. 

Then he would pass the food into the back 
of his mouth, where he had many strong, 
flat, broad teeth. With these he did the 
grinding of the food. And he ground it 
well, you may he sure. 

A rabbit’s front teeth are always kept very 
sharp — so sharp that he can easily gnaw 
bark and eat twigs with them. And he is 
very fond of doing both. He also likes to eat 
leaves and stalks. 

His teeth grow very differently from yours 
and mine. When our teeth are once full 
grown, they don’t grow any more. 

But the teeth of bunnies keep growing all 
the time. 

Nixie would soon have had much longer 
teeth than he could well make use of, if they 
hadn’t kept wearing away as fast as they 
grew out. 

But the children didn’t notice Nixie’s 


125 



teeth so much as they did his jaws. These 
were very curious, especially the lower one. 

Your lower jaw and mine moves up and 
down. But not so a rabbit’s. His lower 
jaw works backward and forward mostly, 
although it also moves up and down, and 
sideways sometimes. 


126 


Because liis lower jaw moves backward 
and forward and sideways is one reason 
why his teeth wear away so rapidly. The 
rubbing wears the teeth. 

I don’t know what else wouldn’t have been 
noticed about Nixie’s eating, if some one 
hadn’t mentioned “surprise” just then. 

This made all the children think of Nixie’s 
“surprise-box” at once. They began asking 
him what was in it. 

But Nixie wouldn’t talk. He only smiled. 

“He shall show you after the bell rings 
agaiiij” Miss Adams told the children. And 
from then on the children were counting 
the minutes, wishing that it were time for 
the bell to ring. 


127 



Bunny can sit by the bush and wink; 

Bunny can hop and run; 

He can do the queerest things, I think, 
And have lots and lots of fun! 


But sometimes Bunny gets serious 
(Why, I could never see!) 

Then he will sit before all of us 
And lecture to you and to me. 



XVIII 

NIXIE GIVES A LECTURE 

The bell rang again. Lunch time was 
over. The children all took their seats. 

Nixie Bunny stepped up on the platform. 
He put his “surprise-box” on the teacher’s 
desk. 

The children were as still as mice. They 
hardly breathed. Then Nixie opened the box. 

What do you suppose he had in it? 

I know you couldn’t guess and so I shall 
tell you. He — had — in — the — box — a — 
magic — lantern ! 

My, weren’t the children pleased! 

Miss Adams took a large sheet of white 
cloth out of her desk drawer, and fastened it 
up on the wall opposite her platform. For 
Nixie was going to show them some pictures. 
And he was going to give a lecture, besides! 

Miss Adams pulled the window shades 
down, and the room was dark. 

129 


Ill a few moments a small, round light 
shone on the white sheet. Then Nixie began: 

“My first picture will be that of a real 
rabbit home, down under the ground. 

When a rabbit takes a wife, he must 
make a home for her. So he digs and 
burrows, and burrows and digs, until he has 
made a house with many chambers. 



He is careful to make a long and winding 
passageway in this home, the better to 
protect his wife and himself from their 
many enemies of the woods. 

Mrs. Rabbit is usually well satisfied with 
the home that her husband makes for her. 

130 


But for her babies she digs a separate home, 
at the far end of this home with the many 
chambers.” 

“And do the children have to live there by 
themselves? I shouldn’t like that!” 

This wasn’t a part of the lecture, of course. 
One of the children asked the question. 
Every one laughed. 

When the room was quiet again. Nixie 
said, “Oh, no, the mother lives with her 
babies. She makes a nest for them, lining 
it with dry leaves and with hair that she 
pulls from her own breast.” 

Here Nixie took the picture from the 
lantern. In a moment he had a different 
one on the sheet. 

“My second picture,” he said, “is that of 
three bunnies. They are not all alike, 
however, as you will notice. 

There are nearly as many races of rabbits 
as there are of people,” Nixie went on. 

“The one on the left is a bunny of the same 
race as I am. We are known as gray wild 
rabbits, or Cottontails. 

131 



In the center of the picture is a cousin of 
mine, the Northern Hare, who looks very 
much like me. He is somewhat larger than 
a Cottontail, but only about half as large 
as the Jack Rabbit. 

He has longer ears and feet than any of 
my family, and usually wears a black patch 
at the tip of his ears. 

He is not quite so gray as I am in the 
summer, while in the winter he changes 
color and turns white. My fur is gray all 
the year round. 

This cousin of mine is also known as the 
wild rabbit. Although we look much alike, 
our habits differ. 


132 


I make my home under the ground all 
the year. We Cottontails love company, and 
always live in a village where there are many 
other bunnies. Such a village is known as 
a warren. 

My cousin, the Northern Hare, prefers to 
live alone. In summer he makes his home 
in the long grass in the open field. In winter 
the snow covers him and keeps him from 
freezing. 

On the right is a tame white rabbit. He 
is not quite so timid as the hare or the 
Cottontail, and is a great pet with children. 

He has no need for burrowing, or hiding 
in the grass, nor for hunting his food. And 



133 


he need not be afraid that some bad wood 
folks will get him. 

Some boy generally makes a home for him, 
and gives him food. 

This bunny’s eyes are pink instead of 
brown, like those of the hare and the 
cottontail.” 

With this Nixie drew out the picture and 
slipped another one in. 

And you could hear the children all over 
the room saying, “How nice!” “Isn’t he 
fine!” “Aren’t you glad he came?” 

“My third picture,” Nixie said, “shows you 
some of my best-known enemies. 

The cat is almost as bad as any enemy that 
we have. When she has once had a taste of 
wild animal food, she always afterward 
prefers it to rats and mice.” 

Nixie’s voice trembled a little, as though 
the very thought of his enemy frightened 
him. But he went bravely on. 

“The dog and man usually come after us 
together. The dog*hunts us up and the man 
shoots us. 


134 



Many a merry chase did my father lead 
the dog when he was young. But he got 
caught at last. And I suppose some day I 
shall be caught. Few wild animals die of 
old age.” 

Nixie spoke sadly and the children felt so 
sorry for him that they could have cried. 
But he had slipped in another picture and 
now began again: 

“My fourth picture shows more of our 
enemies — the owl, the fox, and the hawk. 

These are but a few of our enemies of the 



135 


woods. I suppose the reason we have so 
many is that our flesh is good to eat. And 
each enemy comes after us in a different 
way, which makes it harder for us to escape.” 

Here Nixie changed the pictures again. 

“My fifth picture,” he continued, ‘is one 
I like very much. It is of my friends — I 
hope.” 

And the picture Nixie threw on the screen 
was of the children. 

Oh, my! how they did clap their hands! 

Wlien the clapping had ceased. Nixie said, 
“My last picture is one which is very dear 
to me.” He spoke slowly and sadly as he 
threw the picture on the sheet. 



136 


It was the picture of Bunny Girl, Nixie’s 
sweetheart, who had disappeared so mysteri- 
ously, and because of whom he was even 
then giving this lecture. 

From the picture you can see that Bunny 
Girl must have been a very sweet little 
rabbit. No wonder Nixie liked her! 

When Nixie removed the picture, the win- 
dow shades were raised. The show was over. 

Miss Adams and the children thanked 
Nixie again and again. 

Then one of the boys brought him the six 
live mice, and offered to carry them to the 
owl’s cage. 

Nixie was greatly pleased. 

Every one shook hands with the kind little 
bunny, and soon he and the boy were on 
their way. 

Nixie was in such a hurry that he kept 
running ahead of the boy. And as he went 
along he might have been heard to exclaim 
joyfully, “Bunny Girl! Oh, Bunny Girl!” 


137 



The tame rabbit lives in a house; — 
The wild rabbit lives in the wood, 
He’s wary of the fox and owl, 

For they know his meat is good. 

The tame rabbit eats from my hand; — 
The wild rabbit is filled with glee 
At the sight of a clover-field 
Or the bark of a nice young tree. 


XIX 


NIXIE FINDS BUNNY GIRL 

The owl appeared much pleased to see 
Nixie and the boy. But he was more pleased 
to see the six live mice, you may be sure. 

In fact, he was so eager to get the mice 
that he at once began his story: 

“When Bunny Girl strayed outside of 
Manners-Land,” he said, “she wandered 
about for many a day, trying to find her 
way back. But she could not. 

One day her uncle found her and took 
her to his home. He lives in the woods, 
far away from here, beyond the old mill. 

That is where you will find her. 

And, now, give me the mice!” 

“Not so soon, my good friend,” the boy 
answered. “You have not told us yet the 
name of Bunny Girl’s uncle. 

How do you suppose Mr. Nixie could find 
this rabbit home without knowing that?” 

139 


“The name of Bunny Girl’s uncle is Mr. 
Henry Brown-Rabbit,” the owl replied, 
crossly. 

Mxie had heard of Mr. Brown-Rabbit 
before. He was supposed to be very 
wealthy. Rabbits for miles around knew of 
him, and so Nixie felt sure he could find 
the way to his home. 

Nixie gave the owl the six live mice, and 
the boy and the owl and Nixie parted. 

Mr. Brown-Rabbit did live quite far 
away. Nixie found. , But as Nixie could run 
very swiftly, in a few hours he was there. 

How glad he was to think Bunny Girl was 
so near to him now! 

Mr. Brown-Rabbit was sitting in front of 
his home, enjoying the evening air, when 
Nixie came up. 

“Good-evening, sir,” he said. “My name 
is Nixie Bunny Cottontail. I have been 
told that Bunny Girl, who is a friend of 
mine and who was lost from Manners-Land, 
is at your home. So I came to see her.” 

But Mr. Brown-Rabbit shook his head. 


140 


“My dear boy,” said he, “Bunny Grirl is no 
longer here. I have taken her home. 

Run straight down this way until you 
come to a wire fence. Then turn to your 
right. Her home is in the side of the large 
hill. You cannot miss it. 

I know Bunny Girl will be glad to see 
you. She has often spoken of you.” 

Nixie hardly stopped to thank Mr. Brown- 
Rabbit. With all speed he set out once more 
and soon was at Bunny Girl’s door. 

And, sure enough, he found her safe and 
well at home. And, oh, how glad the two 
bunnies were to see each other! 



141 



Nixie often visited at her home after that. 
And sometimes Bunny Girl would go with 
him to see his mother. 

And one day there was a wedding in the 
woods. And who do you suppose was being 
married? 

Why, Nixie Bunny Cottontail and Bunny 
Girl, to be sure! 

And all the rabbits for miles around came 
to the wedding. For every one liked Nixie 
Bunny, now that he was such a fine fellow. 
And every one was glad to have him happy. 

Bunny Girl’s rich uncle, Mr. Brown- 
Rabbit, provided the feast — and what a 
feast it was! 

And what a lot of presents these two 
bunnies received! Even King Kindheart 
sent them a present. What do you suppose 
it was? Why, a set of beautiful dishes. 
And as both Nixie and Bunny Girl had 
learned how to eat from dishes while in 
Manners-Land, you may be sure they were 
very glad to receive these. 

After the wedding was over. Nixie dug a 
142 


nice new home for his wife and himself, deep 
under the ground. Like the home in the 
picture which Nixie had shown the children, 
his home had many chambers. 

It, too, had a long and winding passage- 
way, to protect them from outside enemies. 

Although it has been long since I have 
heard anything of Mr. and Mrs. Nixie 
Bunny Cottontail, I trust they are living as 
happily as they deserve in their cozy home 
in Rabbit-Town-in-the-Woods. 

Perhaps we may meet them again within 
the pages of another book, some day when 
we have a few moments to spare. 



143 


OCT 3 1912 


A WORD ABOUT THE BOOK 

The effort here has been, first, to offer a story — a thing of pleas- 
ure and entertainment to the child; an appeal to his fancy and 
imagination; 

Assuming that his interest has been secured, the secondary pur- 
pose has been to open the eyes of the little reader or listener to 
facts about nature, and to the upbuilding of his morals and man- 
ners. The author recognizes in the fairy story a source of great 
interest to the child, but believes also that the mere relating of 
jumbles of impossible incidents, regardless of educational or ethical 
value, is not an end to be desired. 

The vocabulary employed is comparatively easy, the words used 
being largely those which are found in several of the best-known 
second readers. With few exceptions, the sentences are short and 
definite, and thus comprehensive to young readers. The chapters 
are almost like little stories, nearly complete in themselves, yet a 
part of an indivisible whole. These, in turn, have been punctu- 
ated by simple rhymes and jingles, each bearing on the chapter 
immediately following, and lending interest to the reading-matter. 
Four of these have been given easy but effective musical settings. 

The illustrations have been planned and arranged with con- 
siderable care. Every drawing is illustrative of the text, simple 
yet expressive. These will be found a large factor in thought-get- 
ting and thought-molding. 

The facts upon which the nature-study of the story is based 
have been drawn from trustworthy sources. This will continue 
to be the case in forthcoming books of the series as announced on 
page 4. Each volume will present a special basis of instruction, 
with our little animal friend. Nixie, as the center of interest. As 
this one dwells on ethics, a second book shall deal with occupation 
and industry; a third, with history, biography, and special days; 
a fourth, with geography, through a study of children of other 
lands. 


144 


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